Grateful Remembering Fortifies Us Against Temptation

November 18, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

It is so much easier to complain than to compliment. We can slide into the negative conversations almost without thinking about it. 

In one of the last things that Paul wrote to Timothy—as he’s in prison, quite possibly awaiting execution—he warns his friend against the darkness of the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5). We need to engage our minds, our wills, and our emotions to not go with the flow of culture’s negativity. 

(Check out all the Scriptures I mention in this post by clicking here.) 

Remember the wise words from George Santayana: “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” The apostle Paul said this before Mr. Santayana (1 Corinthians 10:1-6). We need to learn the lessons of the dangers of forgetfulness that leads us to ingratitude. 

Even before Paul, the Old Testament is filled with repeated reminders to remember God’s blessings and gratefully look to Him to supply every need. Let’s unpack some lessons on the importance of gratitude from Israel’s history in Psalm 106. 

  1. In Psalm 106:7, the Israelites forget what God has done for them in Egypt. Now that they appear to be pinned between the Red Sea and the onrushing Egyptian army, their forgetfulness becomes grumbling against God (Exodus 14:10-12). 

Here’s the lesson for us to learn: Even when we are in a tough spot, God put us there on purpose so that His glory could be displayed (Exodus 14:1-3, 13-14). This should remind us to be grateful. 

  1. In Psalm 106:13-14, instead of being grateful for the miraculous supply of manna, the Israelites are grumbling about the meat they don’t have (Numbers 11:4-6). 

Here’s the lesson for us to learn: God wants to teach us to be thankful for His daily provisions for us (Joshua 5:12; Matthew 6:11). 

  1. In Psalm 106:21, 28-29, the next generation of Israelites didn’t remember to be thankful because they had seldom heard their parents express gratitude (Judges 2:10-11). 

Here’s the lesson for us to learn: Our daily thankfulness fortifies future generations (Psalm 37).  

Here is the repeated pattern we see—

  • Thankfulness → Forgetfulness → Fearful / Selfish attitudes → Susceptible to the temptation to grumble against God 
  • Thankfulness → Remembering → Joyful / Secure attitudes → Fortified against the temptation to grumble against God

Jim Cymbala said, “Ingratitude to God is the first step toward backsliding and departure from God. So, it is to our benefit to have a thankful heart toward God.” 

Let’s put into practice this lesson from King David: “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget bot all His benefits” (Psalm 103:2). 

You can check out all of the other messages in our Be Thankful series here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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Links & Quotes

November 16, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

I shared this video last week with my Patreon supporters. When we’re unclear about all that God has asked us to do, the first step is to obey the part that is clear to us. Check out my blog post Clearing up the Confusion for more insight on how Peter handled this.

I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

T.M. Moore calls on Christians to recognize the God-given authority our leaders have. Not just recognize, but submit to that authority: “We show that we believe the Lord and trust in His Word, and we demonstrate the evidence of that faith when we submit to our church leaders as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24). Submitting to proper authorities is an integral component of full faith. If we want to gain the benefit God intends for us from those appointed to lead, we’re going to have to learn to submit.”

“Talent is never enough. With few exceptions the best players are the hardest workers.” —Earvin Magic Johnson

“Take your job seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.” —Alex Trebek

The American Bible Society reports that Gen Z is engaged with Scripture less than any other generation. But here is a sad outcome: “Scripture Engagement is associated with significantly lower anxiety levels among all Americans, but especially among Generation Z. The anxiety score for Bible Engaged Gen Z respondents (3.4) is less than half that of the anxiety score for Bible Disengaged Gen Z respondents (7.1).”

What if the qualifications in Acts 6:3 were the only qualifications we used for selecting folks for ministry assignments: (a) good reputation, (b) full of the Holy Spirit, and (c) full of wisdom?

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The Craig And Greg Show: The Business Baton

November 14, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the audio-only version of this podcast by clicking on the player below, or scroll down to watch the video.

One of my friend Greg’s passions is helping business owners with the final step of their journey—succession of the organization. It was this passion that drove him to write his new book The Business Baton. In today’s episode Greg and I discuss the new book, and Greg lays out his philosophy for a smooth succession process.

  • [0:15] Greg has written a new book called The Business Baton.
  • [0:53] Greg opened his book with a chapter that surprised me.
  • [1:51] What makes a person ill-prepared to hand off the baton in their organization?
  • [3:26] The questions Greg asks to make sure a business is really ready to hand off the baton.
  • [6:34] Greg’s book has a lot of statistics and case studies to help guide readers who are considering handing off the baton.
  • [8:18] In Greg’s new book he continued a trend he started in his previous book Sage Advice.
  • [10:07] Sometimes a succession navigator has to push for some emotional choices to help you get your business across the finish line.
  • [12:21] Greg discusses the readiness, formation, increase, selection, and succession steps needed to get to a place where a business is ready to sell.
  • [17:02] I really appreciated the voices of other business leaders that Greg included in the book.
  • [17:31] The end of The Business Baton reminds exiting leaders to lead well. 
  • [19:45] Greg gives his final thoughts on writing this book and the role of a succession navigator in the process.
  • [24:03] Visit Maximize Leadership to learn more about how Greg can help you as a succession navigator.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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Can Criticism Ever Be A Good Thing?

November 13, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Don’t be too quick on this one: I’m wondering if criticism can ever be a good thing?  

Check out this episode of The Podcast. 

The Scriptures that I reference in this video are found in Acts 10-11.  

I mentioned my blog post where I talk more about Peter’s rooftop vision and how we went from confused to enlightened. The post is Clearing Up the Confusion.

In the chapter on the bite of criticism, I wrote this—

     Treating our critic as an opponent we have to defeat is sure to injure them and provide an opening for the enemy of our souls to pounce. Perhaps instead we should consider these wise words from A.W. Tozer: “Never be afraid of honest criticism. If the critic is wrong, you can help him; and if you’re wrong, he can help you. Either way, somebody’s helped.” 

     On the other hand, if you come into your meeting with a critic with a humble, willing-to-learn attitude, you will immediately soften the mood in the room. This kind of quietness keeps tempers from flaring (Proverbs 15:1). 

     See beyond the criticism to the critic. … Keep reminding yourself that this is a person to be loved, not an argument to be dismantled. 

Get more information on When Sheep Bite here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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Clearing Up The Confusion

November 12, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

The apostle Peter had a very unusual encounter with a vision and with the voice of Jesus. 

It was so unusual that Luke records that Peter was “wondering“ and later on “still thinking“ about what he had seen and heard, and what the implications of the vision were (Acts 10:17, 19). In the KJV, the word for “wondering” is translated “doubted within himself.” The Greek words that Luke uses here mean perplexed and entirely at a loss. In essence, Peter was asking, “What did I just see? What in the world does this even mean?!” 

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post here.) 

The vision came to Peter as he was praying on the roof of Simon‘s house. Because he was still on the roof when some men from Cornelius the centurion arrived, I believe this means that Peter stayed in an attitude of prayer while he was still wondering. That is an excellent posture for us to remain in as well when we are unclear as to what to do next. 

As I mentioned, Luke says that Peter “was still thinking” about what he had seen and heard (v. 19). This is a different Greek word which means to revolve in mind. In other words, Peter didn’t brush it off or think it was simply too complex for him to grasp, but he continued to look at it, wondering about what it could mean. 

I believe Peter is desirous to obey God, but he just doesn’t know what that obedience is supposed to look like. Instead of shutting down or launching out too quickly, Peter continues to wait for some illumination. 

It was at this point—while still in a prayerful, thoughtful posture—that the Holy Spirit could speak to him. The Holy Spirit simply said, “there are some men here to see you. You must not hesitate to go with them“ (vv. 19-20). 

Although Peter couldn’t see this yet, his obedience would actually be the first step toward understanding and applying the vision. 

It was as Peter talked with his visitors that afternoon, and then as he heard Cornelius‘ story the next day, that the application became clear to him. We can gather this when we hear Peter say, “God has shown me“ (v. 28). As he was retelling this story to some Jewish Christians later, he also said, “then I remembered what the Lord had said” (11:16). 

For Peter and his companions that traveled with him, God’s message in the vision became crystal clear when they all saw “that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles” (10:45-47). 

Here are some important takeaways for all of us. When God speaks a word to us that seems to be confusing, we must stay in a prayerful, expectant posture. Don’t brush it off, and don’t jump to any conclusions. Like Peter, stay in prayer and wait for a clearer word from the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit reveals something else to you, walk forward in the part that is clear. It is as you are walking in obedience that God‘s full message will become clear to you. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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Don’t Let Your Gratitude Get Hijacked

November 11, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Last week I mentioned that I was a bit surprised that scientists had done so much research on the benefits of gratitude because science tends to have an over-reliance on the tangible world. But it’s hard to ignore that there are so many intangibles (like gratitude) which make a tangible difference in people’s lives. 

We get ourselves into trouble if we focus exclusively on the tangible or intangible. We also get ourselves into trouble if we don’t use all of the resources God has given us. 

The Bible tells us that we have been created in the image of God, and that one of the things that separates us from the other creatures in the world is our soul (Genesis 2:7). Our soul is compromised of our mind, our will, and our emotions. 

(Check out all of the Scriptures I mention in this post by clicking here.) 

We cannot allow any one of these to lay dormant or even considered less valuable than the others, nor we can allow any one of these to bully the others. 

  • If my emotions dominate (especially emotions like fear or anger) I can give into fight-or-flight—Psalm 106:7 
  • If my mind dominates, I can become dark and confused—Romans 1:21 NLT 
  • If my willpower dominates, I tend to be very selfish—Isaiah 14:13-14 

When my emotions flare up, when my mind is dark, or when I feel selfish, I need to remember to engage the other two parts of my God-breathed soul. This is where gratitude comes into play. 

I love reading the Psalms when I’m battling the negative emotions that seem to rush in during trying times. The psalmists were so honest about what they were feeling. Check out a couple of examples in Psalm 7:17 and 9:1-2 where we see David engaging his mind and his will to make the choice to be grateful to God despite his circumstances. 

In the New Testament, we see a similar response from Paul and Silas when they are falsely imprisoned in Philippi (see Acts 16:22-26). Despite their cruel circumstances, they chose to life thankful worship to God. Luke write that the other inmates were listening, and so was the jailer and his family, who ended up accepting Jesus as their Savior. 

I’ve got three important words for you when dark times threaten to hijack your gratefulness:

TALK TO YOURSELF

We see another psalmist doing this in Psalm 42:1-6. He asks his soul why it is so downcast, and then he says, “I chose to remember God in all His goodness and I chose to praise Him!” These words are repeated again in Psalm 42:11 and 43:5, which tells me that giving thanks to God is not a one-and-done thing, but something that needs to be continually repeated. 

You can get some conversation starters for your self-talk in two simple ways:

  1. Write down your gratitude 
  2. Talk about your gratitude 

Keep a gratitude journal: Write something down at the end of each and every day. Write it down. Re-read it regularly. Tell others about it. And then be ready for others to ask you about Jesus—just like the Philippian jailer—when they notice how thankful you are! 

Use your mind to talk back to your fears and worries, and then engage your willpower. Don’t let your gratitude get hijacked by the circumstances around you, but allow your thankfulness to help you reframe your circumstances into God’s plan. 

Check out the other messages in our Be Thankful series by clicking here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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Links & Quotes

November 9, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Let’s not let the candidate for whom we vote be something that separates us from others in the Body of Christ. As the apostle Paul says, “Let’s agree together in the Lord.” Check out my full sermon How Christians Can Live Biblically in an Election Season.

I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

“It was from Joppa (Acts 10:5) that God sent Jewish Peter to Gentile Cornelius. In this same Joppa, 800 years before, God had to use a little extra persuasion on Jewish Jonah to get him to go to Nineveh, a city of Gentiles (Jonah 1:3).” —Henry Halley, Halley’s Study Bible 

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” —George Bernard Shaw 

“No big challenge has ever been solved, and no lasting improvement has ever been achieved, unless people dare to try something different.” —Tim Cook, CEO of Apple

Jesus went to the Cross to fulfill His Father’s “predetermined plan.” This brought glory to God and joy to Jesus. God has a plan for your life, too. He sees you, He planned for you, He equipped you. As you live for Him, your life is also bringing glory to your Heavenly Father and joy to your heart. Unlike Jesus, you may not see how your part fits into God’s plan, but you will know it completely when you hear your Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

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Both Shepherds And Sheep Must Do Better

November 6, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

It’s the age-old question of which came first. I think I’ve got some insight for you.  

Check out this episode of The Podcast. 

You can get more information on both of my books here: 

And check another clip I shared from the Fellowship of Ailbe podcast here.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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4 Benefits Of Gratitude

November 4, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Do you remember this song: “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands”? It goes on to say, “If you’re happy and you know, then your life will surely show it….” Frankly, I’m concerned about Christians that are unhappy. 

Charles Spurgeon was talking to his students and he said, “I commend cheerfulness to all who would win souls; not levity and frothiness, but a genial, happy spirit. There are more flies caught with honey than with vinegar, and there will be more souls led to heaven by a man who wears heaven in his face than by one who bears Tartarus in his looks.” Tartarus, in Greek mythology, is a sunless abyss, below Hades, in which Zeus imprisoned the Titans, which is the exact opposite of the Paradise described in the Bible. 

Unhappiness generally comes from ingratitude. An unhappy Christian gives God no praise, robs Him of glory, and paints God in a bad light. A happy Christian lifts God high and invites others to know this All-Good, All-Happy God too! 

Christians need to fight against the downward pull of negativity in which our culture seems to so easily gravitate. In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul says that a Christian who doesn’t engage in the complaining that the world is known for will shine brightly. Quite simply, thankfulness is the antidote to complaining (Philippians 2:14-18). 

(Check out all of the Scriptures I reference in this post by clicking here.) 

Even those who may not recognize the the authority of Scripture have extolled the benefits of gratitude. Psychologists and medical professionals have identified three benefits from a thankful heart: 

  1. Psychological benefits—more mentally alert, increased self-satisfaction, enhanced mood 
  2. Physical benefits—stronger immune system, less body aches and pains, regulated blood pressure, a better sleep-wake cycle 
  3. Social benefits—better communication with others, increased empathy, increased likability 

And Christians can add one more benefit to this list:

  1. Spiritual benefits—more dynamic corporate worship, enchanted Christian testimony, perseverance through trials, fortification against giving in to temptation 

The well-known Cleveland Clinic reported that an attitude of gratitude leads to overall wellness. When you are grateful for what you have, it improves your outlook mentally, physically, spiritually, and relationally. 

Here are five things you can start doing today that will increase your gratitude levels, enhance your Christian testimony, and generally improve your life: 

  1. Switch your perspective. Worry is focusing on what you don’t have. Make the switch to gratitude by giving thanks for what you do have (Matthew 6:25-34). 
  2. Strengthen your relationships. It’s fine to weep with those who weep, but let’s encourage others and be encouraged by others so that we can rejoice with those who rejoice (1 Thessalonians 3:6-10), 
  3. Foster healthy habits. Dr. Luke gives us the pyramid of health that Jesus demonstrated in Luke 2:52. The pinnacle is strong relationships, and grateful people are more empathetic and likable. 
  4. Keep a gratitude journal so that you don’t forget what God has done for you (Psalm 106:7).  
  5. Talk about your gratitude. This instills thankfulness in other saints (Isaiah 63:7) and in future generations of your family (Isaiah 46:4), and it becomes a testimony for seekers (1 Peter 3:15). 

Let me close with this observation from Blaise Pascal: “There are three kinds of people in the world; those who have sought God and found Him and now serve Him, those who are seeking Him, but have not yet found Him, and those who neither seek Him nor find Him. The first are reasonable and happy, the second reasonable and unhappy, and the third unreasonable and unhappy.” 

Reasonable, happy saints are the ones who lift God high and invite others to know this All-Good, All-Happy God too! Not just at the Thanksgiving season, but starting now and then going all year long! 

Follow along with all of the messages in this series called Be Thankful by clicking here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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Links & Quotes

November 2, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Psalm 133 tells us that in order for us to sharpen others—and for us to be sharpened by them—we have to be around other them. Christian saints put a high priority on spending time with others.

I have lots of new content every week, which you can check out on my YouTube channel.

From Desiring God’s Here We Stand series comes this great snippet from the history of the Reformation: “[John] Calvin intended to go to Strasbourg for a life of peaceful literary production. But while Calvin was staying the night in Geneva, William Farel, the fiery leader of the Reformation in that city, found out he was there and sought him out. It was a meeting that changed the course of history, not just for Geneva, but for the world. Calvin remembers, ‘Farel, who burned with an extraordinary zeal to advance the gospel, immediately learned that my heart was set upon devoting myself to private studies . . . and finding that he gained nothing by entreaties, he proceeded to utter an imprecation that God would curse my retirement, and the tranquillity of the studies which I sought, if I should withdraw and refuse to give assistance, when the necessity was so urgent. By this imprecation I was so stricken with terror, that I desisted from the journey which I had undertaken.’”

I am always fascinated by the way archeology affirms the historicity of the Bible! Here is an archeological biography of King Artaxerxes I.

Have you ever heard people claim that celebrity deaths seem to come in threes? It does seem that many times the major cataclysmic events happen in bunches. Dr. Roy Spencer has an interesting post (with corresponding data) in which he outlines the role of randomness in these events.

“In Hebrews 12:2 the writer uses a participle—‘fixing your eyes’—to describe what should be the characteristic orientation of our every waking moment. True and full faith wants to say with David, ‘I have set the Lord always before me’ (Psalm 16:8). … If we are living full faith, having the eye of our heart fixed on the world of unseen things, the reality of that world and all its beauty, goodness, and truth will begin to be evident in our daily lives, filling our lives with the overflowing Presence of Jesus Christ (John 7:37-39).” —T.M. Moore 

“There are three kinds of people in the world; those who have sought God and found Him and now serve Him, those who are seeking Him, but have not yet found Him, and those who neither seek Him nor find Him. The first are reasonable and happy, the second reasonable and unhappy, and the third unreasonable and unhappy.” —Blaise Pascal 

Evolutionists are now using language that sounds like words Creationists use: “Flowers like hibiscus use an invisible blueprint established very early in petal formation that dictates the size of their bullseyes—a crucial pre-pattern that can significantly impact their ability to attract pollinating bees.” Check out this article from the Institute for Creation Research.

Another very helpful apologetic video from J. Warner Wallace. This video explains how the origin of DNA is best explained not by scientific theories but by the existence of God. 

Using passages from Pilgrim’s Progress and weaving them with Scripture, Greg Morse shares five powerful steps for those struggling with depression or even suicidal thoughts. 

Just as the smallest enzyme is invaluable to the human body, the gift God has given you is invaluable to the Body of Christ. Check out the full sermon called Let’s grow together.

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